With the introduction of iphone by Apple, many smartphones have incorporated music playing capabilities in the phone itself. The demand for purely MP3 player has diminished drastically for the past few years.
But, with the drop in pricing for new generation of MP3 players in the market, the demand for MP3 players are slowly coming back again. It is time for you to consider getting a new MP3 player.
Before buying, perhaps you would like to look at, what are the Best MP3 Players Review articles written by others on the internet.
We have reviewed most of them and would like to give our personal opinion, on some of the best MP3 players that are affordable you can consider. These are the best budget MP3 player you can consider.
It is always good to do some comparison before making your purchase decision. One important criteria we feel, to get a MP3 Player on top of your smartphone, the price of the MP3 player cannot be too high.
Best pricing for a MP3 Player shoud be less than $100, otherwise there is no necessity to get it since you can also listen music on your smartphone.
There are many types of MP3 Players in the market, ranging from very high-end, sophisticated model to simply basic and cheap model, it is difficult to cover all of them.
Our focus on the reviews here will center on those models near to the price point of $100, more affordable for larger consumer groups. There will always be a market for different individual with different preference.
Importance Features a MP3 Player need to have
- audio quality – depending on the format the audio signal has been recorded, the audio quality will vary. Common audio formats include MP3, WMA, FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AAC, OGG. Best MP3 player sound quality will give you the Feel Good feeling when you listen to your favorite songs.
- headphone – it can make a different to the performance and perception of the MP3 player, especially the sound quality.
- battery life – it is advisable to have at least 15 hours of playing hour, since you are likely to bring it outside your home or office. Thereafter, you can re-charge your MP3 player at home.
- FM radio – with this feature you can listen to radio channels about news, events on the MP3 player as well.
- weight – if it is too bulky will be troublesome to carry around and too heavy for sport like running. Best MP3 player for running should be light weight.
- display screen – with this feature you can view and select the song you want with ease. You can see the title of the song and the artist name.
- choices of color – some people have their preference color. Therefore some brand introduce color variation like black, silver, gold, green, red, etc to meet individual preference.
- storage memory size – basic model only provide 2GB storage space, with high-end model come with 16GB and allow external micro-SD card expansion up to 256GB. Typically 4GB space allow you to store up to 1,000 song on the MP3 player.
- pricing – depending on your budget, you can buy one with a lot of advanced features and functions or just the basic features. Some of the budget friendly MP3 players cost less than $10, with advanced models costing more than $300.
- support different languages – if you wish to offer the MP3 player as gift for friend or customer in another country with different language, this option will be good to have.
- Bluetooth capability – this feature allow you to connect wirelessly with external speaker or headphone with Bluetooth function or even car system.
- USB connection – this allows you to easily tranfer song from the PC to the MP3 Player
Future Trending in a MP3 Player
- light weight and small size
- able to play audiobook on the MP3 player – this will require the device to play Audible or Overdrive format
- waterproof
- with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection for easy internet download of music. It has become a standard for MP3 Player Bluetooth incorporate in one device.
- recording capability like own singing song or self-created music
- podcasting
Where To Buy Your Best MP3 Players
Depending on your personal preference and need, you can go online to purchase your products or visit your local stores to have a chat with your local store owners. Both have its pro and con which you like the most. Below are my preferences to buy online.
- Amazon (well established) – consider one of the leading eCommerce company in the world with wide variety of products for you to choose and purchase.
- Lazada (in South-East Asia countries) – bought by Alibaba and are very aggressive promoting in these countries.
- Your Local Stores – you may like their local services and friendly staffs who you are familiar with.
Brands You May Consider
If you check on the internet, there are so many brands of MP3 players in the market and it may become overwhelming for you.
Since MP3 player has internal battery inside, it may be wiser to select and buy from those makers that are reliable and reputable in the market for a while.
- Apple – their popular iPod music players are famous among music lovers.
- AGPtek – this brand is rather new in the market but has been getting popular with its strong promotion in the market. The price is very attractive with some only cost $30.
- SanDisk – famous for its memory card and recently become very aggressive in their MP3 players promotion. With its own memory inside, we believe SanDisk will have pricing advantage compare with other makers.
- Sony – Japanese makers are recognized as reliable makers in the market, especially this brand which famous for its Walkman models. You will feel comfortable when you purchase its products.
Models we have researched for you
Sony Sports 4GB MP3 Player NWWS413
This sporty wearble MP3 player is very good for runners and swimmers. It is waterproof when go under salt and fresh water up to 2m.
It is also sweat resistant for tough training environment. The ambient noise function will not isolate you from the world around you, while you are enjoying your music.
This MP3 Player has 1,267 global ratings as of Aug 2024, and achieved 4 out of 5 stars. 57% of them rated it with 5 stars.
Sony NWE394 8GB Walkman
This model is currently selling $58 at Amazon and it offer 2 colors (black and red). According to website, it has 35 hours of audio playback.
You can down audiobook from overdrive. Sound quality is good when turn on the bass boost.
This Sony MP3 Player has 2,419 global ratings as of Aug 2024, and achieved 4.2 out of 5 stars. 65% of the users rated it with 5 stars.
SanDisk Clip Sport 32GB MP3 Player
This SanDisk MP3 Player is currently selling at $85.90 at Amazon and it comes with standard color in black.
SanDisk has designed the sporty design for the Athletes and fitness lovers.
It has 757 ratings as of Aug 2024, and achieved 4 out of 5 stars. 59% of the users rated it as 5 stars.
SanDisk Clip Jam MP3 Player
This MP3 player come with 8GB storage internal memory and has 4 different colors (black, green, blue, red) for you to choose.
As of August 2024, it has 714 rating and has achieved a high rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars. 65% of them rated this SanDisk Clip Jam 5 stars.
Currently it is selling between $49.99 and $72, depending on the color you choose. Sound quality is good based on various customers comments we saw on Amazon website.
It is light weight, small and come with a clip easy for runners.
AGPTEK A02 8GB MP3 Player
Boasting an impressive 70 hours of playback on a single charge, this AGPTEK MP3 player ensures your musical journey is never cut short.
The built-in 420mAh Lithium-ion polymer battery charges fully in just 2-3 hours via USB, allowing for quick and convenient power-ups.
Designed with the active lifestyle in mind, its compact and lightweight build effortlessly slips into your wallet, pocket, or armband.
Whether you’re running, jogging, traveling, or hiking, this music player is your perfect exercise companion, providing the soundtrack to your adventures without weighing you down.
Transferring music is a breeze; simply connect to your computer and drag and drop your favorite tunes. Plus, it’s compatible with car stereos via an AUX port, making it versatile for on-the-road listening.
As of August 2024, it has 1,903 ratings achieving 4 out of 5 stars among those Amazon users. 55% of them give it 5 stars with much satisfaction about the product.
Selling only at $26.99 at Amazon Online store now. Don’t miss the opportunity to have it.
After getting your favourite MP3 player, you may want to download some songs on it and start enjoying your music on the go. Visit our article How To Download Music To MP3 Player For Free.